Life Changing
by maddiethepumpkin
Summary: When Clare and Eli are partners for their English class project, they decide to reenact Romeo and Juliet. That decision changes their life...for the better. Rated M. Lemons in the future!
1. Chapter 1

A New Beginning

Chapter One: A New Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own anything! Degrassi belongs to TeenNick!

In this fanfiction, there are just a few small tweaks. Clare can sing. And…I guess one small tweak is all. Enjoy!

Clare quickly wrote notes in her think notebook as her teacher explained the directions for the project they were being given. She was a very studious girl. Focused completely on getting perfect grades. Well, almost completely focused. Clare Edwards was a singer, but she never showed it to anyone. Anyone. The only time she sang was by herself in her bedroom, or when she was home alone. And her voice was beautiful. Perfect, even. She is a short girl, with curly, light brown hair and blue eyes.

Clare was shocked back into reality when her teacher called her name, and she looked up. "Excuse me, could you repeat that?" she asked meekly, a small smile on her face.

"Of course, Clare. I was handing out partners. Clare Edwards, and Eli Goldsworthy. In my opinion, it's the perfect match. The writer, and the director."

As the teacher walked away, Clare looked over at the male at the desk beside her. She knew Eli Goldsworthy. He was the atheist at the school, who always wore dark clothing and a lopsided smirk. He had run over her glasses with his hearse. She smiled faintly at him, and turned her attention back to class.

Scurrying out of the class as the bell rang, Clare slightly jumped when someone grabbed her shoulder. She turned to see Eli. "Oh. Hi, Eli. What do you need?"

He threw her that famous lopsided grin, hooking his thumbs into his belt-loops. "Would you like to come to the library with me? To work on the play," he said softly, watching her closely.

Clare thought for a moment, and knodded with a smile. "Of course. I would love to," she said, her voice a little bit dreary. Her parents were going through a divorce, and she had been a little down lately. Sitting in a chair in the library, Clare clicked her pen, and took out a brand new notebook from her bag, writing on the cover in sharpie "Clare Edwards". "What do you want to base our skit on?" she asked, waiting to write on the inside cover. She saw that smirk appear on his lips again…and he simply said:

"Romeo and Juliet."


	2. Chapter 2: Best Day Ever

Chapter 2: Best Day Ever

Disclaimer: I DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING! All Degrassi characters belong to TeenNick.

Clare's eyes widened as she heard his suggestion. Romeo and Juliet? But…that had a…kiss. Their assignment was to take a play, and rewrite it, and record the reenactment. She thought for a moment, and slowly wrote it down in her notebook. This was going to be…fun. "Sure…Romeo and Juliet. Who will be the director?" she asked, pausing to ponder for a moment. Simultaneously, they said, "Adam Torres." She giggled softly as he smiled, and wrote down his name. "I was thinking we could just modernize it. A modern day Romeo and Juliet," she suggested, tapping her pen against the paper. Looking up at Eli, the girl asked, "What do you think?"

"Well," he started, rubbing his face as he thought, "We could modenize it. Here's my idea. We have two normal, middle class people, but they're seperated by their social groups. When they meet up -let's say, the local park- for a secret date, Romeo tells Juliet that they can't see each other anymore. When she asks why, and he refuses to tell her, she pulls out a gun, and-" he paused to hold up a finger gun to his head, and pretend to pull the trigger, "bang. When Juliet kills herself, Romeo follows suit." Clare wrote the idea down, a bright smile on her face. "That's perfect, Eli! No wonder you're a director," she complimented, looking up at him. He was staring at her…and it was sort of creepy, but…enticing. She bit her lip, looking away. "I heard you needed help in History. Would you like me to help you study for today's test?" she offered, keeping her eyes turned away from him.

"Sure. Thanks. I appreciate it, Clare," Eli said softly, his smirk appearing again as he puled the history binder and book out of his bag. Clare moved her chair over so she was next to him, and she tutored him for the rest of the study period.

Leaving her math class, Clare blew a loose curl out of her face, beginning to turn the combination on her locker. She jumped as Eli popped up beside her, doing jazz hands with a bright smile. The girl smiled and asked, "Yes?"

"I passed. With flying colors," he said, moving his hand in an arch to imitate a rainbow. Clare smiled and shook her head, turning to face him. "And how do you plan on repaying me for the favor?" she challened, her brow raising as she waited for an answer. "Well," he started, looking down one hallway, "I don't know." His head quickly turned back, and Clare was surprised to feel his lips touch her, his perfectly melting against her own as they moved against each other. Once he pulled away, he watched her, before jerking his thumb down the hall. "I…have a french exam," he said softly.

Clare gulped and said softly, "I think you just passed." And he walked away. She quickly scurried down the hall, rushing into the girl's bathroom. She went to the largest stall, her heart beating against her chest. Once she locked he door, a wide smile appeared on her face, and Clare squealed, covering her mouth with her hand as she jumped up and down. Best…day…ever.

_**That's the end of chapter two of A New Beginning! Once again, I would really appreciate any tips or comments, so send me any that you have! Thanks! New Chapter on Tuesday! 333**_


	3. Chapter 3: The Play

Chapter Three: The Play

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters. All Degrassi characters belong to TeenNick!

Running her fingers through her soft curls, Clare paced back and forth across the grass in the park. Adam was fliming her, and Eli was a few feet away. They were filming the last scene, where they meet in the park. "Romeo…Oh, where are you Romeo?" she called , looking around. She gasped, running towards Eli and tightly hugging him. "Romeo…Oh, Romeo, where have you been?" she asked, pulling back just enough to look at him, running her fingers through his black hair as she kissed him. His kisses made her heart flutter against her chest. Once Eli recited his lines, she widened her eyes, pulling away and backing up. "You…You can't leave me…" she said, reaching into her bag, and pulling out a plastic you get at a carnival. _Juliet, wait! Don't do anythi-_ Clare pulled the trigger, the gun made a whirling sound, and she fell in the grass. A few of Eli's lines later, she heard him fall beside him, and Adam call "CUT!". She smiled as she sat up, tightly hugging Adam. "Perfect! Thank you, Adam!" she said softly, looking back at Eli as he stood up. She waved her hands towards herself, demanding, "Come on!" As the trio hugged, Clare was the first to pull away. "I need to start heading home," she said, pointing her thumb towards her blue bike. She began to walk towards it, until her shoulder was grabbed. She looked up at Eli, asking, "Yes?"

"I'll give you a ride," he offered, giving her a lopsided smirk, "I don't want some pervert to snatch you up, Saint Clare." She blushed a bright pink, and turned, hoping he hadn't seen it. She grabbed the handles of her bike, leading it towards Morty, his hearse. Letting him stuff it in the back seat, the petite girl smiled, climbing into the passenger seat.

"Thanks." Relaxing in the seat, Clare chuckled as she pulled grass out of her hair. Hearing Eli laugh beside her, she blushed again as he began to pull grass out as well. It was like an electric shock when his fingertips brushed her cheek. She slightly turned to face him, and saw him…staring at her again, with those dark, chocolate brown eyes. She blinked once or twice, and leaned forward, meeting him halfway for a kiss. Her pale hands gently gripped his leather jacket as his hands slipped up her arms, and gently carressed her cheeks. She pulled away, not really wanting to, so she could breathe. She smiled at him, and sat back down, so he could drive her home. Her heart still beat like a drum against her chest as she ran inside her house.

Clare was singing softly in her bedroom as she brushed her hair, looking at herself in the mirror. She never sang in front of people anymore. Before her parents told her they were getting divorced, she had only sang in front of them. But now, her beautiful voice was heard by nobody. Only to her mirror or herself she was roaming the empty house, or doing homework. "When I was  
A young boy,  
My father  
Took me into the city  
To see a marching band.  
He said,  
"Son when  
You grow up,  
Would you be  
The savior of the broken,  
The beaten and the damned?"  
He said  
"Will you  
Defeat them,  
You demons,  
And all the non believers,  
The plans that they have made?  
Because one day  
I'll leave you,  
A phantom  
To lead you in the summer,  
To join the black parade. "" The small girl gasped as she caught Eli's reflection in her mirror, and she cut her voice of, whipping around to watch him. "What-What are you doing here?" she asked, gulping as she sat her brush on the dresser. Nobody was supposed to hear her sing…never. She was a very shy girl, with a severe case of stage fright.

"Your mother let me in when I told her you were tutoring me…you have a very beautiful voice," he said a wide smile on his face as he walked towards her. "You should be in my next play! It's being put on at Degrassi!" he exclaimed, and his eyes widened when she reacted.

"No no no no no! I don't sing in front of people! You weren't even supposed to hear me!" she told him, shaking her head fiercly, turning away from him. She closed her bedroom door, sighing softly. Feeling his arms wrap around her, and his lips press onto hers, she quickly pulled away. "Are we in a relationship?" she asked, watching him closely as she placed both hands against his chest.

"Yes." And that was the day her life changed forever.

_**Okay guys! That's the end of Chapter Three: The Play! Make sure you keep reading, and send me comments or suggestions! Thanks! 333**_


	4. Chapter 4: Confessions

Chapter Four: Confessions

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything. All Degrassi characters and references belong to TeenNick! Enjoy

Clare began turning the combination on her locker, sighing softly as she tried to open it, and it wouldn't do so. Stupid locker. She began to try to combination again, but was nearly tackled to the ground by a small body. As her books scattered, the girl shot her eyes up to meet Alli Bandhari's eyes. She sighed in relief, asking, "What are you doing, Alli? You made me drop everything." Beginning to pick up papers in books, her eyes widened as she heard her best friend:

"YOU'RE DATING ELIJAH GOLDSWORTHY?!" the dark-skinned girl exclaimed, grabbing Clare's shoulders. "This is amazing! This is the first person since K.C.! Oh my gosh! When, where, how, why?!" Rolling her eyes, Clare put the books she didn't need in her locker, once she got it open.

"I guess word spreads fast. And Alli, take a chill pill. You need to relax. Last night, at my house, and because," she said cooly, closing her locker. _This is getting a little out of hand…_ she thought, walking down the hall towards Jesus Club. The things being whispered around her as she walked by were…heart shattering. "I heard she lost her virginity" was the one that hurt te most. She rushed into the room, quickly closing the door. She let out a sigh of relief, sitting in a chair as everyone greeted her. As they said their beginning prayers, everyone sat down, and everyone was asked who would like to speak first. Clare slowly raised her hand. "Clare. What's on your mind?"

Taking a deep breath, Clare composed herself, saying softly, "My…parents. I used to count on them for everything…They taught me right from wrong. They told me divorce was bad…Sex before marriage was a sin…" As something caught the corner of her eye, Clare slightly turned to look…seeing Eli walking in, and taking a seat. Her heart soared, but she became even more nervous than before. Her hands began to shake, but she tucked them neatly between her knees before continuing. "But now…they're getting divorced. They say they're too different," she said softly, glancing over at Eli as she said this. Once she turned back, her voice started to quiver as well, and she started, "And I asked them…Were they always different, or did something change? And they said that they were…always different. But they had hoped that…they would go together." She sighed softly, her hands slightly fidgeting when the boy beside her said _Jesus is always there for you, Clare._ The girl took a deep breath and asked, "If Jesus loves me so much…then why does he want me to go through this?" The boy in the red Degrassi uniform sighed, and paused for a moment before saying softly _It's all part of his plan._

Clare's eyes jerked to Eli when he unexpectedly spoke. "Well his plan sucks," he said tightly, crossing his arms over his chest. _Excuse me, who are you? _Eli rolled his eyes, a little bitr annoyed with this guy. "Just a guy trying to have a RATIONAL discussion." Clare's eyes were going back and forth between the two, her heart starting to beat more and more rapidly against her chest. This couldn't be happening…not to her, and not right now. She already felt like she was being torn apart from the inside out, let alone being caught in the middle of a feud. Clare cleared her throat and said softly, trying to calm the situation, "He's just trying to help me figure things out." She suddenly stopped, her lips parted a little as she stood up. "Have a nice lunch," she whispered, quickly leaving the room. She let out a shaking breath, covering her nose and mouth with her hands as she ran down the hall, Eli calling her name from behind her.

"Clare. Clare, wait!" he called after her, swerving around her to get in front, making her stop. She broke down when he gingerly held her wrists, the tears flowing freely as she sobbed. A pained smile appeared and disappeared as quickly as it had come, and she croaked, "I bet you loved that! Saint Clare has a crisis of faith!" A soft sob left her lips, and the girl whispered, "I-I'm losing…everything I-I love." She looked at the ground, shaking her head slightly.

Eli looked at the floor too, shifting his weight on his feet a little. He looked up at her, saying in a sweet, calming voice, "Not me." Clare looked up, a look of disbelief on her face as she watched him. "I'm not going anywhere." She let out a relieved sigh, tightly hugging him as she buried her face against his blazer. Just hearing those words…meant everything to her. Hearing that from him filled the hole in her heart, it seemed.

Clare sat close to Eli in his hearse, Morty, their legs and soides touching, his arm draped casually around her shoulder. They're parked close enough to see her house, but not so close that they would be seen. "They're selling the house…" she said sadly, gently rubbing her thumb over his knuckle.

"You know…there's a way you can stay here. You stay here, and your parents move back and forth. One bedroom, one house." Clare's eyes widened at the idea, and a large smile spread onto her face. "That's…an AMAZING idea Eli! Thank you!" she said, gently pecking his lips before climbing out of the car, running to her house.


End file.
